Companies and organizations use audio/video conferencing and multipoint conferencing to improve communication and efficiency within the organization. Large organizations might distribute a large number of multimedia endpoints throughout the organization. Usually, one or more multipoint control units (MCUs) serve the internal multipoint multimedia conferencing needs of these endpoints. Organizations that do not have private MCUs may purchase conferencing services from a multimedia conferencing service provider that has one or more MCUs.
A multimedia endpoint is a networked terminal that is capable of providing real-time, two-way audiovisual communication with other terminals or an MCU. An endpoint can provide speech only; speech and video; or speech, data and video communication. An MCU is a conference control entity located at a node of the network or in a terminal. The MCU receives multiple media channels from endpoints via access ports. According to certain criteria, the MCU processes audiovisual and data signals and distributes the processed signals to the connected channels. Examples of MCUs include the MGC-100 (Polycom Inc.). A more thorough definition of an endpoint (terminal) and an MCU can be found in the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) standards, such as but not limited to the H.320, H.324, and H.323 standards. Additional information regarding the ITU standards can be found at the ITU website.
Usually a MCU that is located in a terminal has limited functionality. For example, such an MCU might be capable of conducting a conference of only up to four participants. Model number VSX 8000 (Polycom Inc.) is an example for a terminal that includes an MCU.
Organizations may use one or more communication systems for multimedia communication services such as audio and/or video and/or data collaboration. Audio conferencing services can run over an IP network or a circuit switch network. Such communication systems may include PBX or IP-PBX offering audio services. Furthermore, an organization might also have different types of multimedia endpoints (video and data), and one or more MCUs that can be used for multimedia conferencing. Each of these services might run over different systems, including multiple audio, multimedia, and data systems. Usually there is no interface between these systems, although some end user equipment can be connected to both audio and to multimedia/data systems. Various management tools, applications, servers and systems are used for scheduling physical meetings and/or virtual meetings (multimedia conferences). Other management tools used to manage an organization may include information on employees of an organization.
In some cases it would be beneficial to associate the different communication systems and/or to associate multimedia conferencing systems with the organization management tools (applications). Associating the different applications will improve the utilization of the communications services. For example, an organization may wish to use its common scheduling services to reserve or schedule a virtual meeting (a multimedia conference) in the same way that the organization would schedule a common meeting. An exemplary system for associating scheduling services of an organization with is multimedia conferencing system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/960,337, filed on Oct. 7, 2004, Ser. No. 10/954,934, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Presently, associations between different systems require a unique solution for each system. Such a solution must be adapted to the requirements of the particular organization and the requirement of the particular systems to be associated. For example, different types of controllers for audio systems (PBX or IP-PBX) require different solutions, as does the controller of multimedia systems (MCU). For associating video conferencing with a scheduling system, the solution must be adapted to the requirements of the video conferencing system, the scheduling server, and the organizational management application (e.g. employee database), for example.
But regardless of what systems are associated, the association requires a central authority (e.g. an interfacing server or middleware server) to oversee the association, to track the topology, and to manage communications within the entire system. In an organization having multiple resources at its disposal, such a central authority might decide whether a MCU and/or PBX should be involved; what is the most suitable MCU and/or PBX; which communication protocols to use; how to collect endpoint address or dialing number; etc. Such decisions are usually made based on multiple inputs and require a high-level of expertise and knowledge from a person who is responsible for overseeing such organization resources.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a node (i.e. a middleware server) containing algorithms and methods to facilitate the decision making processes involved in associating various communications resources. Such a middleware server would communicate with the controller of the multimedia system to established and control one or more multipoint multimedia conferences and would communicate with the audio system controller and/or the management applications servers. Such a middleware server would be easily adapted to different types of communication systems, management applications, and organizational needs and policies.